In Dreams
by Sven the Bounder
Summary: *Chap. 8 up* Piper Took has just met Frodo Baggins, who was recently orphaned. A friendship strikes, and as they grow, so do their feelings. Will they finally reveal them when Piper is attacked? Please read :-)
1. The Great Tragedy

A/N: This chapter of my story takes place in the year 2980, so Frodo is about 12. Almost a tween, but not yet.  
  
Disclaimer: Do you recognize it from somewhere? Good, that means it's Tolkien's.  
  
Piper Took sat in her kitchen, slowly peeling a potato while her mother gathered ingredients to make Supper. For Piper, helping her mother cook was actually the easiest job she had to do in life. As the eldest, at nine years of age, it was supposedly her responsibility to work in the fields instead of her lazy, irresponsible brother Peregrin (more commonly known as Pippin). With few friends to come by and rid her of her daily chores, there was really nothing else for her to do anyway.  
  
Piper's mother, Eglantine Took, hurried about the kitchen gathering the ingredients for the meal. Reaching into a cabinet for some apples, she was rather surprised to find there were none inside. She took up a basket and gave it to Piper, relieving her daughter of her potato-burden.  
  
"Go to the market and fetch me some apples, dear," Eglantine instructed. "And please, if you see your brother, remind him to come home soon."  
  
"Yes, Mum," Piper said quietly before turning and walking out of the house. The sun was still bright in the sky, but was inching closer and closer to the Western horizon. The blue sky was becoming dimmer, shades of pink and purple dancing about its edges. Piper loved the outdoors, but especially the nighttime. At night, she felt she could go anywhere, be anything that she wanted. But most of all, she didn't feel quite so lonely when the whole world was sleeping.  
  
She soon reached the marketplace, where Hobbits of all ages were rushing about wildly. This was normal, but today things seemed a little off. Everyone seemed very solemn and mournful. Of course, Piper had no idea what was going on, so she fetched the apples like she was supposed to, then began to make her way back to her home. As she walked down the dirt road, two boy Hobbits jumped out from a bush and whacked the basket, causing all of the contents to spill onto the ground. Piper turned angrily to see her brother and his best friend Meriadoc (more commonly called Merry) running away, laughing.  
  
With an aggravated sigh, Piper turned and began to collect the apples from the ground. As she reached for the last one, a hand appeared and picked it up. She stood only to find herself staring a young Hobbit boy in the face. He had curly dark brown hair and the most stunningly blue eyes she had ever seen. Blushing, she took the apple from him and placed it into the basket.  
  
"Thank you," she said softly. He smiled and shrugged.  
  
"You're welcome," he said. "Those two really shouldn't have done that. It wasn't a very nice thing to do."  
  
"Oh, them? That's just my brother and his friend; I'm pretty used to it. But, thank you, nevertheless."  
  
The boy said nothing, simply continued smiling. He looked up the road in the direction she had been going. Looking that way herself, Piper began to make her way back home once more. The boy went with her, walking next to her on the path, his head down, his feet shuffling through the dirt.  
  
"Do you live around here?" Piper asked.  
  
"In the other direction," the boy replied, his head still down. "I live with my uncle."  
  
"Where are your parents?"  
  
"Er. . .swimming."  
  
"Oh. . ." Piper didn't really understand the meaning of that answer, but she chose not to question it. The two walked in silence for a time before finally reaching the gate to Piper's home. She smiled at the boy.  
  
"Thank you for walking me home," she said. "I hope we will meet again. Your name is. . .?"  
  
"Frodo," the boy told her. "Frodo Baggins."  
  
"I'm Piper Took," she said. "Good-bye, Frodo. And thank you again."  
  
"Anytime," said Frodo. Then he turned and walked off down the path in the direction of his home, shuffling his feet through the dirt. Piper watched him a minute.  
  
'A bit odd,' she thought, 'but kind nonetheless.'  
  
* * *  
  
Later, as Piper sat with her family eating Supper, she couldn't help but think about what Frodo had told her. He lived with his uncle. His parents were. . .swimming. . . she didn't understand a word of it.  
  
"Mum, do you know the Bagginses?" Piper asked suddenly, interrupting a heated conversation on whether pigs or ponies were more efficient. Her mother looked at her in surprise, then proceeded to answer her question.  
  
"Why, yes, dear, I do," Eglantine said. "And it is a horrible tragedy that just happened. No doubt you heard about it in the market today."  
  
"Actually, no, I didn't," Piper said. "I was hoping maybe you could tell me."  
  
"Drogo and Primula Baggins went for a boat ride," Eglantine began. "One mustn't doubt that's the reason for it. Have you ever heard of such a crazy notion? Boat rides! Anyway, poor Drogo was just a bit heavier than dear Primula, and the boat capsized, and they drowned."  
  
"Drowned?!" Piper cried, a bit louder than she had meant to.  
  
"Yes, drowned," Eglantine said, sighing. "A terrible, terrible tragedy. No doubt it was hard on that son of theirs. He was adopted by that oddball of an uncle of his, Bilbo Baggins, as his heir. Those Sacksville-Bagginses weren't very happy, needless to say. They've had their eye on Bag End ever since Bilbo returned from that 'adventure' of his."  
  
"Mum, their son, what's his name?" Piper inquired.  
  
"Oh, it escapes me at the moment." With that, Eglantine stood and gathered up the dishes. Piper followed, carrying some dishes herself. "Why do you ask, Piper dear?"  
  
"I think I might have met him today," Piper told her. Eglantine stopped and turned to face her daughter.  
  
"You stay away from that boy," she said sternly. "Living with such a bizarre Hobbit like Bilbo, it'll only be a matter of time before that child turns out just like him. He'll be bad news before his time. You promise me that you will never talk to that boy again, Piper. Promise me."  
  
Piper, though a bit saddened, was not about to go against her mother. "I promise, Mum."  
  
* * *  
  
Piper's eyes opened slowly. There was something outside of her window. Rising from her bed, she slowly crept over to the window, then pushed it open.  
  
"Frodo?" Piper whispered upon seeing the person outside her window. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I wanted to show you something," Frodo said, his voice equally as quiet.  
  
"You have to leave, before my parents wake up," Piper said quickly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just, please, you have to." Piper checked to make sure no one was coming. "Come on, we won't be long," Frodo pleaded. "I promise." Piper looked at him a moment, then gave in. She closed the window, got dressed, then opened her window and climbed out. The two ran off into the darkness, soon leaving Piper's home behind and entering a small grove of trees. In the center of the grove was one very large tree.  
  
Frodo went up to the tree and began to climb it. Piper followed, but continually slipped back off of the tree. Frodo finally took her hand and helped her up to the top, where there was a large space for two Hobbits to sit. Frodo sank into one side of the space, and Piper slid down next to him. She gasped.  
  
They were looking out upon the entire Shire, sparkling in the twilight. It was the most beautiful sight Piper had ever seen. She never knew how amazing her home actually was until that moment.  
  
"Oh, Frodo," she whispered. "It's breathtaking. How did you find this place?"  
  
"I used to come here with my mother and father," Frodo told her.  
  
Piper looked over at him. "Frodo. . .I know about your mother and father. You must miss them terribly."  
  
Frodo shrugged. "I do. But, then again, most would. Uncle Bilbo is helping me to get past the pain, though. He tells me stories about his adventures and treats me just as my father or my mother would have."  
  
Piper nodded, leaning back against the tree. She sighed deeply, then absent-mindedly placed her head on Frodo's shoulder, slowly drifting off to sleep. He placed an arm around her shoulders and looked out upon the Shire, a small smile touching his lips. 


	2. Attacked!

A/N: For probably most of the rest of the story, we're gonna be about ten years forward, when Frodo is about 22, which would put Piper at around 19. Also, there'll be another OC introduced here who is 33, just Coming of Age. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Do you recognize it? Good, that means it's Tolkien's.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun peeked its head out over the Eastern horizon, trickling down the land until it reached the large tree in the center of the grove. Sunlight began to stream through the spindly branches, creeping down them until it softly touched the faces of the sleeping Hobbits. Piper sat with her head resting on Frodo's shoulder. Frodo sat with his arm around her shoulders. As the sunlight touched his face, his eyes flickered open and he looked around sleepily. Seeing Piper still sleeping, he nudged her gently.  
  
"Piper. . .wake up. . ." She opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times before smiling and stretching. Frodo smiled as well, brushing a strand of her golden blonde hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Good morning," she said softly, turning to face him.  
  
"Good morning to you, too. Sleep well?"  
  
"Of course." Piper smiled. She looked at him a moment, then turned her head to look out at the Shire. Even from her far-off spot on the tree, she could hear the sounds of Hobbits waking up to start another day. With a sigh, she looked back at Frodo.  
  
"Frodo. . .we are friends, right?" she asked, a bit timidly.  
  
"The best of friends," Frodo replied. "Why?"  
  
Piper smiled. "Just wondering. One always tends to wonder these sorts of things at some point in time."  
  
"I suppose." Frodo leaned back against the tree, a far away look in his eyes. Piper was about to say something else, when a call rang out down the road.  
  
"Piper! Piperiona Took! Where in the Shire are you?!"  
  
"Oh, no, it's my mother." Piper stood and quickly got out of the tree. Frodo followed, stopping her.  
  
"What's your hurry?" he asked. "She won't be angry with you, will she?"  
  
"She might," Piper said. "I have to go start a new job today and I promised her I would get up early to get ready. I completely forgot, and if she found me with you-"  
  
"What does that matter?" Frodo questioned suspiciously.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If she found you with me, what would it matter?"  
  
Piper didn't respond, simply gave him a sorrowful look. "Frodo, really, I have to go. I will see you tonight." With that, she broke free from his grip and hurried off.  
  
* * *  
  
Piper was now working for a Hobbit named Tillen Proudfoot. He had recently Come of Age and had hired Piper as sort of a maid to come and clean his home for him while he settled in. As soon as she had arrived, however, Piper noticed something rather odd about this Hobbit. He tended to follow her around the house and watch her very closely. She tried to put it out of mind, thinking that he was most likely just making sure she did a good job.  
  
She made her rounds about the entire Hobbit Hole, making sure to clean everything thoroughly so that she wouldn't get fired. By the time afternoon had settled in, she had finished nearly everything. She was now in the living room, polishing an end table. Hearing a footstep behind her, she turned around. Tillen was standing a few feet away.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Proudfoot, you startled me," Piper said, smiling.  
  
"I'm sorry," Tillen said, a grin appearing on his face. Piper thought it strange, but tried not to think much of it. She turned and began to work again. A few moments later, she felt air on her neck. Turning again, she jumped, as Tillen was standing right behind her. She backed away a few steps.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, a bit nervous now.  
  
"I was watching you, making sure you were doing a good job," Tillen told her, in a tone that plainly showed he was lying.  
  
"Mr. Proudfoot, I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave me alone so I can do my work," Piper said firmly. He nodded, and she returned to her work. Just a few moments later, she felt his arms slide around her waist. He then kissed her neck, then her shoulder. She turned quickly, pushing him away.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she cried. He took a step closer to her.  
  
"You are a very beautiful young Hobbit, Piper," he said softly. "As a bachelor myself, I only thought that perhaps you and I-"  
  
"Mr. Proudfoot, I am flattered, really I am," Piper interrupted. "But I am merely here to clean your home. Nothing else. Now, would you kindly let me finish so that I may go home? I have other chores to attend to."  
  
"Piper. . ."  
  
"I would prefer it if you call me Miss Took, Mr. Proudfoot."  
  
"All right, then, Miss Took, I don't think you are understanding what I am saying. This way I feel, it's what makes me do what I am doing. Perhaps if you got to know me, you would feel the same way."  
  
"Perhaps if you let me do my work, I could leave and come back tomorrow to discuss this."  
  
"I'd rather discuss this now."  
  
"Stay away from me, Mr. Proudfoot."  
  
"It's Tillen." Tillen took another step towards her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Piper tried to wrench herself free, but couldn't. She swung her foot and kicked him hard in the shin. Cursing loudly, he let go of her and she ran off into the kitchen. He followed quickly, picking up a knife off of the table as he passed.  
  
Piper stopped before running down the hallway, pressing up against a wall. "Mr. Proudfoot. . .please, don't do this."  
  
Tillen grinned evilly and came at her. She shot off up the hallway, but he was too fast and he grabbed her around the waist, holding the dagger to her throat. She stopped, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Please. . .Tillen, stop it," she begged. He laughed softly, pulling her up the hallway. He threw her into a room and entered, shutting the door behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
There came a knock on the front door. Tillen heard it, cursing under his breath. He got up from the bed and left the room, putting his shirt on as he went. The door swung shut, but missed, a crack still open. Piper quickly got up and buttoned up her shirt, crossing to the door. She listened intently and heard Tillen's voice. Then, she heard the other person: her mother. Sighing with relief, she hurried out of the room.  
  
"Piper, dear, there you are," Eglantine said, smiling. She turned to Tillen. "I hope she didn't cause any problems for you, Mr. Proudfoot."  
  
"No," Tillen replied, grinning. He had yet to take his eyes off of Piper. "No problems at all."  
  
Eglantine led Piper out of the house. Just before closing the door, Tillen called out, "See you tomorrow, Piper!" Piper's face flushed and she quickened her pace. She never wanted to return to that house ever again.  
  
"He seems like a very nice Hobbit," Eglantine stated as the two walked towards home.  
  
Piper looked at the ground. "I guess so. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
Late that night, as Piper lay in bed thinking, there came the familiar tapping outside her window. Her stomach turned, but still she rose and opened the shutters. Frodo stood outside of her window, smiling his usual smile. But, to Piper, standing before her was a ruthless, terrible Hobbit just waiting for the right moment to attack her. She took a few steps backwards.  
  
Frodo gave her an odd look. "Are you all right?"  
  
Piper nodded. He smiled. "Okay, then let's go."  
  
"No," Piper said quickly. "I am not going with you." Frodo, now very concerned for her, entered the room. Piper backed away even more.  
  
"Why not?" Frodo asked. There was no response. "Piper? What's wrong with you?"  
  
Her hands were shaking. Frodo came close to her, and she did not move.   
  
"Leave me alone!!" Piper shouted angrily. Frodo stared at her, bewildered.  
  
Just as he was about to say something, Piper's father Paladin burst through the  
  
door, a fire poker in his hands. He spotted Frodo and approached him angrily.  
  
"What're you doin' in here with my daughter?!" Paladin yelled.  
  
"Sir, I - " Frodo began, but Paladin didn't give him a chance to explain. He  
  
swung harshly at Frodo's side, hitting him with amazing force. Frodo doubled  
  
over, clutching his side. He sank to the ground in pain. Paladin went to hit  
  
him over the head, but Frodo scrambled out of the way just in time.  
  
Paladin released the fire poker and went after Frodo. He grabbed the back of  
  
Frodo's shirt and threw him into the wall. Frodo lay there, recovering. Piper  
  
sat on her bed, staring in horror, but afraid to do anything to help him.  
  
"Sir. . .please, let me explain," Frodo gasped as Paladin drew closer. In a  
  
split second, Paladin rammed Frodo in the stomach with his foot. Frodo  
  
clutched his stomach, and after a moment got to his feet. Paladin came at him  
  
again, but the young Hobbit proved too fast. Frodo was soon out the window and  
  
running across the yard. He turned and gave Piper one last look, before  
  
scrambling down the dirt road.  
  
"If I ever catch you with my daughter again, Frodo Baggins," Paladin hollered  
  
out the window, "I'll kill ya!!"  
  
* * *  
  
The next day at Tillen's house went almost exactly as it had before, and Piper  
  
left feeling even more hatred and fear towards male Hobbits. Frodo didn't come  
  
that night, or the next. In fact, an entire three weeks went by without him  
  
returning. Looking back on that one night, Piper wished dearly that she hadn't  
  
shouted. After a while of working at Tillen's home, she began to realize that  
  
Frodo was not like Tillen. He would never hurt her.  
  
So, one night, Piper decided to go to him instead. She crept quietly out the  
  
window and made her way to Bag End. However, when she got there, she realized  
  
that she had no idea which was his room. Going to one window, she saw Bilbo  
  
Baggins sitting at a desk, scrawling something wildly onto a piece of  
  
parchment. She got to her knees, but continued to watch him.  
  
After a few moments, he stopped writing. Piper watched curiously. Suddenly,  
  
Bilbo's eyes turned to her. A smile appeared on his face when she ducked out  
  
of view. He went to the window and opened it, looking down at her.  
  
"May I be of assistance to you, young miss?" Bilbo asked, his voice calm and  
  
cheerful. She didn't respond, and didn't look up at him either. Bilbo raised  
  
an eyebrow, his expression changing from amusement to concern. "Are you all  
  
right?"  
  
Piper hesitated, then shook her head. Standing, though still looking at the  
  
ground, she said in a small voice, "I. . .er. . .I was looking for Frodo, Mr.  
  
Baggins."  
  
"Not here, I'm afraid," Bilbo told her, shaking his head. "Snuck out a few  
  
hours ago. Naturally, I heard him. I hear him every night when he sneaks out  
  
to go see that girl Hobbit he fancies so."  
  
"Um. . .sir, that girl Hobbit. . .would be me," Piper said slowly. Bilbo  
  
raised his eyes to her, once more amused by her. He smiled.  
  
"Well, why didn't you say so?" he asked, laughing. "Come in, come in. We'll  
  
wait for Frodo."  
  
Piper smiled, warming up to the old Hobbit, and entered the house through the  
  
window, which Bilbo again laughed at. He led her to the kitchen, where he made  
  
them both a cup of tea and they sat, talking about many things. They talked of  
  
their families, their friends, but most importantly, they talked of Frodo.  
  
"It was quite a tragedy he had to go through," Bilbo said sadly. "And at such a  
  
young age. Lucky for him, you came along that very day. It comforted him to  
  
meet you."  
  
"It did?" Piper questioned. "I never realized. He never told me. When I first  
  
found out that it was he who had lost his parents, he acted as if he did not  
  
care."  
  
"Ah, yes, I remember," Bilbo said. "He was like that for quite a few months,  
  
I'm afraid. Then, one day, he just broke down and cried - "  
  
"Trying to embarrass me, are you?" came a voice from behind the two. They  
  
turned and saw Frodo standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest.  
  
When he saw who Bilbo had been talking to, his face flushed and he turned to  
  
walk away. Piper glanced at Bilbo, then jumped up and stopped Frodo.  
  
"Frodo, please, don't be angry," Piper pleaded.  
  
"Don't be angry?!" Frodo exploded, turning to face her. Seeing Bilbo watching  
  
them, he pulled her into another room and shut the door. Then, he turned on  
  
her again. "What do you mean, 'Don't be angry'?! I have every reason to  
  
completely hate you!"  
  
"And I have no doubt that you should," Piper said softly. "Except. . .I was not  
  
myself that night. I had something on my mind. Try to understand, I would  
  
have helped you. It hurt me to see that happen to you. But. . .I just couldn't."  
  
Frodo's expression softened a bit. Tears were forming in Piper's eyes, it was  
  
clear that she was truly regretting what had happened. In a sudden outburst, Piper rushed forward, hugging him, sobbing into his shirt. After a moment, he hugged her back, resting his chin on her head softly, eyes closed. 


	3. Prisoner in Her Own Home

A/N: I really have nothing to introduce this time. So, just enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Recognize it? It's Tolkien's.  
  
Piper awoke in her room, feeling much better than she had in weeks. She had spent most of the previous night at Bag End with Frodo and Bilbo. Just before sunrise, she had snuck out and immediately fallen asleep when she got home. She was glad her mother had not woken her to go to her work.   
  
As she got up and ready for the day, it was very clear that something was different. She was grinning broadly and positively glowing. Her brother, Pippin, definitely noticed this as she entered the kitchen. He was sitting at the table, sipping from a mug of ale and watching her curiously.  
  
"Yer rather cheerful today," he noted after a moment. "What 'appened?"  
  
"Nothing happened, Pippin," Piper said, sitting down across from him. He leaned close to her and looked her face over a minute. Then, he leaned back. Piper gave him an odd look. "What?"  
  
"Why're you so happy?"  
  
"Why're you so serious?"  
  
Pippin glared at her. "I 'ave every reason to be serious, Piper Took." He hiccupped.  
  
Piper grinned. "You're drunk, aren't you?"  
  
"No. Hic!" Pippin covered his mouth quickly. Piper laughed, and Pippin's eyes widened in amazement. "Did you just laugh?"  
  
"Yes. . .why?"  
  
"You haven't laughed fer quite some time, if I remember correc'ly. Somethin's 'appened, I know it." There was a pause, before a wide smile appeared on Pippin's face. "Wait, I know what it is."  
  
"You. . .you do?"  
  
"Yep. It's that Tillen Proudfoot."  
  
Piper's face turned pale and grave. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Mum won't stop chatterin' with her friends 'bout how you fancy him. Wouldn' surprise me if she had you marryin' him within the next week. She's been plannin' it, y'know."  
  
"She's been doing what?!" Piper shouted. Pippin coughed on the ale he had just drunk, surprised at her outburst.  
  
"Well, Piper, you should've seen it comin'. I dun no why yer so surprised. Mum's in the garden if you wanna talk to her 'bout it." Piper jumped up from her seat, the chair crashing to the ground. Pippin stood also, watching her storm down the front hallway. "Oi! I wasn' serious!"  
  
* * *  
  
Piper slammed the front door behind her and hurried to the garden. Her mother was there, potting some new buds. Piper stood behind her, hands on her hips. Sensing someone there, Eglantine turned around.  
  
"What are you doing, planning my marriages?" Piper snapped angrily.  
  
"I see Pippin told you," Eglantine said calmly, standing and wiping her hands free of dirt.  
  
"You should know to never trust a drunken Took," Piper said. "Now, why are you planning me to marry Mr. Proudfoot?!"  
  
"Oh, Piper dear, he's such a kind young Hobbit," Eglantine gushed. "You two would make the perfect couple! I've seen the way you look at him, dear."  
  
"Mother, I look at him with pure disgust!" Piper shouted. "If there's one Hobbit I find most despicable, it's Tillen Proudfoot!"  
  
"You can learn to love him, dear," Eglantine said gently. "I've invited him over for Dinner tonight, so you'll have your chance then."  
  
Piper's face went pale.  
  
* * *  
  
That evening, Piper sat in her room, staring at the door, heart clamoring with fear that something bad would happen. Although she knew that Tillen would most likely never reveal what was going on, she had the worst feeling in the pit of her stomach. Releasing a wavering breath, she put her head into her hands and closed her eyes.  
  
"How do I look?" Pippin asked, quickly entering and closing the door behind him. He was dressed rather nicely, in clean brown trousers, a white shirt and a fancy blue vest. He straightened his vest and tried to look important. Laughing, he looked to her for the first time since he had entered. She had not even glanced at him. He sat down next her.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" he asked. No reply. "Piper? What's wrong?"  
  
"I just want to be left alone," Piper said softly.  
  
Pippin was silent a moment. "You don't want Mr. Proudfoot to come here, do you?" Piper said nothing, but after a few moments, shook her head slightly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Piper turned to him, trying to fight back tears. "I. . .I cannot say."  
  
"Please, Piper, tell me what's wrong," Pippin said softly.  
  
Piper shook her head, tears running down her face. "Pippin, please, try to understand. I want to tell you, I really do, but I cannot. Not yet. The time will come when you can know. . .but not now. I have not told anyone. . .not even Frodo."  
  
"Frodo. . .Baggins?" Pippin inquired. "Why would you need to tell him? Mum told you not to talk to him."  
  
"I know. . .oh, Pippin, you cannot tell anyone," Piper pleaded. "If Mother or Father were to find out. . .Pippin, Father would kill him! You must keep this a secret."  
  
Pippin paused. Piper turned angrily towards him, grabbing hold of the edges of his vest violently.  
  
"Promise me!" Piper said, keeping her voice low, but still sounding very assertive. "You promise me that you will not tell a soul, Peregrin Took."  
  
Pippin nodded quickly, and Piper smiled, turning her violent grasp into a grateful hug. Pippin hugged her back for a minute, and then there came a knock on the front door. Piper gasped, looking in the direction of her closed door. Pippin stood, followed closely by his sister, and the two timidly walked to the entrance hallway. Tillen stood inside the doorway, their mother in the process of shutting the door. As the knob clicked into place, Piper had a terrible feeling in her stomach. She felt trapped.  
  
Tillen's gaze traveled from Pippin's somewhat warning expression to Piper's petrified stare. He smiled.  
  
"Welcome, Mr. Proudfoot," Paladin greeted, extending his hand. Tillen took it and smiled warmly at the Hobbit.  
  
"Thank you for having me, sir," he said. "I greatly appreciate it."  
  
Paladin immediately took to him, leading the young Hobbit into the dining room, where Eglantine had rushed off to prepare the table. With a glance at his sister, Pippin followed. Piper took a deep breath, hoping nothing bad would happen, then went to the dining room. The others were beginning to seat themselves around the table. Seeing no other seat available, Piper silently sat herself across from Tillen, her eyes averted away from his face.  
  
Eglantine hurried back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, filling the table full of every kind of food Piper could imagine. Of course, that was the last thing on her mind, and she was in no mood to eat anyway. At last, Eglantine set the last dish onto the table and sat. Paladin looked around at the others, then said, "Well, let us eat."  
  
* * *  
  
The meal went smoothly, with barely any interruption or cause for Piper to worry. She began to think that perhaps Tillen wouldn't do anything around her family. However, just in case, she payed careful attention to him, and Pippin did, also. Tillen seemed to notice them constantly glancing at him, but instead of being annoyed, he was rather amused.  
  
Setting down his cup after taking a quick swig of ale, Tillen smiled at Eglantine. "Mrs. Took, that was an excellent meal. My compliments."  
  
"Why, thank you, Tillen," Eglantine returned, blushing pink. Piper wanted to gag, but didn't, staring idly down at her plate, pushing the food around with her fork. Eglantine turned to her daughter.  
  
"Piper, you haven't said a word all evening," she began, trying to start a conversation. "Tell us, what is it like working for Mr. Proudfoot?"  
  
Piper looked up at Tillen, who grinned. Piper felt her mouth go dry.  
  
"Piper?" Eglantine said.  
  
Pippin, who was seated beside her, gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Piper? Are you okay?" She hesitated, then nodded quickly. She glanced about the table, a bit embarrassed, before swallowing.  
  
"It's. . .very. . .er. . .it's not what I thought it would be," she said quickly. Tillen's grin somewhat faded, a cautionary gleam in his eyes. She looked away from him.  
  
"What did you think it would be like?" Paladin asked her.  
  
Piper looked back up at Tillen. His smile was completely gone, and he was giving her a look that clearly said "If you tell them, I swear I will kill you". She saw his fingers wrapping around the bottom of a knife that was sitting next to his plate. Piper raised her hand to her chin. Underneath was a thin cut. She knew how it had gotten there, and the memory of it chilled her.  
  
Suddenly, she jumped up from her seat. "I'm very sorry. I am not feeling very well. I am going to go lie down for a moment. Excuse me." With that, Piper hurried out of the dining room and into her own, closing the door silently behind her.  
  
Tillen looked around at the others. "Perhaps I should go and make sure she is all right?"  
  
"Could you, Tillen?" Eglantine said. "That would be wonderful." Tillen nodded and stood, slipping the knife into his pocket unnoticed. As he walked out, Pippin looked at his mother and father.  
  
"Should I go with him?"  
  
"No, you help me clean up here, Pippin," Eglantine requested, taking some dishes in hand.  
  
* * *  
  
Piper sat on her bed, trying to fight back tears. She wanted Tillen to leave. She wanted everything to be back to how it had been before she had gone to work at his home. As she sat there staring into nothing, the doorknob turned and Tillen stepped in, shutting the door behind him. Piper gasped, her eyes going wide.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" Piper stammered, standing quickly.  
  
"Came to check on you," Tillen said softly. "You left in such a hurry. . .thought there must be something wrong."  
  
Piper hesitated. "I got scared."  
  
Tillen took a step towards her. "Scared of what? Scared that I might do something to you? To your family? What?!"  
  
"I. . .I don't know what I was scared of," Piper said, tears forming in her eyes. She backed away from him. Tillen approached her, taking her by the arm. She pushed his hand away anxiously. Anger flaring up in his eyes, Tillen took both of her wrists in one hand and plucked the knife from his pocket with the other. He pushed her up against a wall and held the knife to her throat. It cut into the bottom of her chin, making her wince.  
  
"Have you told anyone?" he asked.  
  
"N-no."  
  
He glared at her, yet grinned evilly. "You better pray that I don't find out otherwise, or it'll be your neck." He went in to kiss her, when there came a tap on the window. Piper's glance turned to it, fear flooding her mind.  
  
'Frodo. . .' she thought frantically. There was another tap.  
  
"Tell them they can come in," Tillen whispered to her.  
  
"C-come in!" Piper called softly to the window. The shutters were pulled open and there stood Frodo, with his bright smile. . .until he saw Tillen and Piper. He jumped through the window.  
  
"What are you doing to her?" he demanded furiously. Tillen released Piper's wrists and turned to Frodo, holding out the knife threateningly. Frodo apparently didn't know what he was going to do, but he stood his ground. Suddenly, Piper rushed forward and tried to wrench the knife from Tillen's hands. He turned and sliced her arm. She winced and clutched her wound, stumbling backwards.  
  
Seeing Tillen at a vulnerable point, as he was turned the other way, Frodo ran and tackled him. The two slammed into the wall before falling to the floor. They wrestled around on the floor for a few moments, before finally Tillen threw Frodo off of him. The two stood, Tillen glaring ferociously at Frodo, before holding out the knife and running at the young Hobbit. The blade of the knife skimmed Frodo's side and Frodo was pinned against the wall. Frodo grimaced in excruciating pain, before glaring coldly at Tillen. He rammed Tillen in the stomach with his knee, then threw him to the floor.  
  
"Come on, hurry!" Frodo cried, taking Piper's hand and pulling her out of the window. Tillen scrambled to the window as the two ran across the yard and down the dirt Road, leading towards the Old Forest.  
  
"You have no where to hide, Frodo Baggins!" Tillen shouted out the window. Piper's door flew open. The Tooks stood in the doorway, staring at Tillen, completely bewildered.  
  
"What happened?" Pippin demanded, pulling Tillen from the floor by his collar. "Where is my sister?"  
  
Tillen's face became solemn and distressed. "I came in to see what was wrong with her, and we were just talking. . .Frodo Baggins. . .he came in through the window. . .he attacked me with this!" Tillen held up the knife. "I fought him, I tried to save her. He kidnapped her." Pippin released Tillen, his eyes going wide. 


	4. Frodo Finds Out

Disclaimer: Recognize it? It's Tolkien's.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Pippin burst through the door of the Green Dragon, searching the tables frantically. Rosie Cotton, a bar maiden at the inn, approached him with a bright smile.  
  
"Pippin, how good to see you again," she greeted. "Your usual, I presume?"  
  
"Not today, Rosie," Pippin said hurriedly, spotting his cousin Merry sitting at a table near the back of the room. He rushed over and sat down across from him. Merry grinned at Pippin with a half-drunken sway, raising his mug in greeting.  
  
"Well, 'ello, Pip!" he said, his words sort of slurring.  
  
"Merry, sober up for a second," said Pippin. "It's important. Frodo. . .he's kidnapped someone."  
  
"Frodo Baggins?" Merry questioned. "I don't believe it for a second! Frodo Baggins is one of the kindest Hobbits in the Shire. He'd never hurt a fly." He raised his mug to drink from it.  
  
"No, but apparently he'd hurt my sister," Pippin returned.  
  
Merry put down his mug. "Piper? He's kidnapped Piper? Now, Pippin, where would you get an idea like that? Maybe she just ran away."  
  
"No, there was a witness," Pippin explained. "Tillen Proudfoot was over for Supper tonight, and at one point Piper didn't feel too well, so she went to her room to lay down. Tillen went to check on her and the next thing I know, there's a loud crash from inside her room and Tillen's staring out the window with a knife in his hand."  
  
"A knife?!" Merry cried, lowering his voice when a few heads turned towards the two. "A knife? Pippin. . .maybe it wasn't Frodo who-"  
  
"I thought of that, too," Pippin continued. "But when I questioned Tillen on where Piper was, he said that Frodo had come through the window, attacked him with the knife and kidnapped Piper."  
  
Merry was silent for a few moments, taking in his cousin's story. It seemed too farfetched. No one had ever been kidnapped in the Shire before. No one had ever attacked another with a knife, either. It was all too crazy to be true. No, no, it wasn't true. It couldn't be. Merry sighed, looking back at his younger cousin, half smiling at his seriousness about the whole situation.  
  
"Pippin. . ." he began slowly. "Perhaps. . .perhaps Piper left of her own free will. Maybe, to Tillen, it looked as though Frodo were kidnapping her, but she had planned it out all along."  
  
"Are you accusing my sister of attacking Tillen?!" Pippin demanded.  
  
"No, no, nothing like that, Pip," Merry said quickly. "I'm simply saying that maybe she wanted to go with Frodo. That's a very real possibility. Maybe she planned for Frodo to get her tonight, but she hadn't expected Tillen to be there."  
  
"Then why would Frodo have a knife?"  
  
"For protection."  
  
"Protection against what?! If neither of them had expected Tillen to be there, then they had no reason for protection."  
  
Merry didn't know what to say. He knew that Pippin was right, but he couldn't believe that Frodo would do such a thing. Frodo had always been the kind of Hobbit who, if someone needed help in the garden, would be perfectly happy to help them. Or if a basket of something was dropped and scattered all over the ground, he would be right there to help clean it up.  
  
With a sigh, Merry ran a hand through his hair, then looked across the table at his cousin. "Come now, Pippin, you can't seriously believe Frodo would do such a thing. You've known him as long as I have. Has he ever, once, been cruel or violent to anyone?"  
  
"Well. . .no, but what else could have happened?" Pippin challenged. "The facts all point to Frodo kidnapping Piper. That's all there is to it. Hobbits change, Merry. Don't forget that."  
  
* * *  
  
Piper and Frodo sat silently in a small clearing, surrounded by trees so that no one could see them, even though they were only about fifty feet from the Road. Piper knew that Frodo wanted to know what had been going on, but she was not sure if she could tell him. She had not told anyone, and Tillen had said himself that he would kill her if he found out that she had.  
  
Frodo glanced over at his best friend. There was something troubling her, he knew there was, but he knew of nothing he could do to help her. The only way he could do anything was if she told him what was going on, and by the way she was acting, that was not something she was planning on doing.  
  
"Frodo. . .thank you," Piper said softly, cutting the silence.  
  
Frodo was a bit startled. "For what?"  
  
"If you hadn't shown up tonight. . .I don't know what might have happened," Piper told him. "That Hobbit you fought with, that was Tillen Proudfoot."  
  
"Tillen Proudfoot?!" Frodo repeated, shocked. When he had met Tillen earlier that year, he had seemed like a very kind, responsible young Hobbit, not like someone who carried a knife around in his pocket!  
  
Piper nodded. "Aye."  
  
"But. . .it looked to me like he were about to kill you!"  
  
"No. . .he was about to kiss me." Piper drew a shaky breath, knowing that it was time for her to tell someone what had happened. Frodo stood at this point, as if waiting for her to go on. With a deep breath, out it came. From start to finish, Piper recalled for him the whole of what had happened. He simply stood, dead silent, hands in his pockets, staring at her in disbelief.  
  
"It can't be true," he said finally, seating himself beside her. "It just. . .can't. Things like that can never happen in the Shire. They can't."  
  
"I didn't think so either," Piper said. "But unfortunately for us, it has happened. Your parents drowned, and no one thought those sorts of things could happen, yet they did. I never thought that there were any Hobbits like Tillen living here, but I was wrong." She looked over at him. "And I don't know what to do. He's threatened to kill me if I tell anyone. . .and he would do it."  
  
"You have to tell someone besides me," Frodo told her. "Someone who has the authority to stop it. . .and also the heart to stop it. But first, you must get them to believe you. And you must not be afraid of Tillen. As long as I am with you, he can't hurt you."  
  
"But he can hurt you," Piper said, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't want to see you get hurt again. Twice you've been hurt from this whole thing. . .but no more."  
  
Frodo smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about you. It's you that Tillen's after, not me. . .well, now he may be after us both, but we can't be afraid of him. That's what he wants. If you're afraid, then he can do anything he likes."  
  
A small, weary smile formed on Piper's lips. "You. . .you are not afraid?"  
  
"No." Frodo's hand touched hers, and he smiled encouragingly. An angry yell sounded in the trees, and Pippin burst out from behind them, tackling Frodo. Piper stood to pull her brother off of him, but Merry jumped out and held her back.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?!" Piper demanded.  
  
"It's for your own good, Piper, just keep out of it," Merry said quickly.  
  
Pippin and Frodo scuffled about for a moment, before Frodo caught him with an uppercut and pushed him off. Pippin got to his knees slowly, holding his head.  
  
"Pippin, Merry, what's gotten into you?" Frodo asked through heavy breaths.  
  
"The fact that you kidnapped my sister!" Pippin shouted.  
  
"And a bit of ale, but that's not the point," Merry put in.  
  
"Kidnapped me?!" Piper exclaimed. "Now where did you get a crazy idea like that from?"  
  
"Tillen!" Pippin told her. "He told us everything that happened! And according to him, you, Frodo Baggins, are a kidnapper!"  
  
"Listen, Pippin, I wouldn't trust Tillen if I were you," Frodo said calmly. "He's been lying to everyone since the day he had his Coming of Age party. He attacked Piper and I rescued her!"  
  
Pippin turned to his sister. "Is that true?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin," Piper said, sighing.  
  
"I believed you the whole time, Frodo," Merry said quickly, smiling.  
  
* * *  
  
The four Hobbits made their way quickly to Bag End, doing their best to blend in amongst the shadows. The other three stood watch while Frodo hurriedly knocked on the door. It swung open and there stood three Hobbits: Bilbo, Paladin. . .and Tillen.  
  
"Well, well, well," Paladin said. He turned to Tillen. "Didn't I tell you that we'd find them if we just stayed in one place?"  
  
"Frodo, these Hobbits were looking for you," Bilbo said, his tone a bit confused.  
  
"Ah, just the Hobbit I was looking for," said Tillen coolly. "Frodo, might I have a word with you. . .privately?"  
  
"No," Frodo replied quickly.  
  
"Would someone please explain what's going on?" Bilbo asked.  
  
"Your nephew here is a kidnapper, Baggins," Paladin explained, his voice low and calm.  
  
Bilbo was quite taken aback. "Surely you gentlemen have made some sort of mistake. Frodo would do nothing of the sort! I've brought him up better than that!"  
  
"Frodo isn't the Hobbit you think he is, Mr. Baggins," Tillen said, his eyes fixed on Frodo. There was an unmistakable anger in them that chilled Frodo to the bone, and the other three as well. Tillen continued. "He's a sly, treacherous, evil young Hobbit, and his sights have been set on Mr. Took's daughter ever since the day he met her." As Tillen said these words, his eyes narrowed, his voice gained a harsh edge and he had taken about five paces closer to the group of Hobbits before him.  
  
Frodo drew backwards, though in his eyes there was a defiance and an anger to match Tillen's. "You, Tillen Proudfoot, are a liar and you know it. Everything you say is false. You know what really happened tonight, but you place the blame on me because you know that if anyone found out what has been going on these past few weeks, it'll be your word against Piper's."  
  
"Piper's words would mean nothing," Paladin cut in. "She is not yet Come of Age. Her story would not matter. And neither does yours, Frodo Baggins."  
  
"Give it up," Tillen growled. "There is nothing you can do to save yourself."  
  
"I will not allow myself to be subject to lies," Frodo shot back. "I have done nothing wrong."  
  
What happened next was hard for any of the four to recall later on. It happened so fast, it was almost as if it hadn't happened at all. Tillen jumped at Frodo in a sudden rage and thrown him to the ground. Pippin and Merry ran to Tillen and pulled him back. Piper helped Frodo up and when Paladin came at them, they, along with Pippin and Merry, ran off down the path that led to Bag End and then scrambled down the Road towards the market.  
  
Tillen ran to the gate, closely followed by Paladin and Bilbo, who was most bewildered. Pulling a dagger from his pocket, Tillen turned his head towards the other two.  
  
"They won't get far," he said softly. With that, he jumped over the gate and headed quickly in their direction. 


	5. Orin's Guilt

Disclaimer: Recognize it? It's Tolkien's.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The doors of the Green Dragon Inn burst open once again. There were now very few Hobbits sitting in the main room. Rosie Cotton was still behind the bar counter, cleaning off glasses and waiting in case someone decided to have another drink. Now, of the few that were left, all eyes turned towards the four young Hobbits that had just rushed in. Without stopping to even acknowledge the presence of anyone, the four hurried to the back of the room and hid inside a broom closet. Frodo stuck his head back out.  
  
"Rosie!" he hissed. "If anyone comes in here looking for us. . .we aren't here, okay?"  
  
"All right, Mr. Baggins, but I don't-" Rosie started.  
  
Frodo shushed her. "Never mind that, never mind! Just do as I say!" With that, his head disappeared back into the closet. No sooner had this happened when Tillen entered the tavern. By now, the bystanders were quite curious as to what was going on.  
  
"Welcome to the Green Dragon," Rosie greeted. "What might I get for you, sir?"  
  
"Have you seen a group of four Hobbits?" Tillen asked her. "They're all pretty young. . .three males there were: Frodo Baggins, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck. . .and a girl: Piper Took. Have you seen them?"  
  
Rosie hesitated, glancing towards the closet quickly. "Er. . .no, sir. Mister Merry was here earlier, I know, with Mister Pippin. . .but I haven't seen them since."  
  
A small grin appeared on Tillen's face. He knew that she was lying. "Don't toy with me, Miss Cotton. I know they're here. I saw them come in myself. Now where are they?!"  
  
"I tell you honestly, they aren't here," Rosie stated again, this time with a bit more confidence.  
  
"I saw them come in!" Tillen said, his voice rising.  
  
"If you know so well that they are here, then why are you questioning me on the matter?!" Rosie shouted. She turned and walked back behind the bar. No one looked at Tillen, who was now blushing a deep shade of scarlet. He glanced around before going to the bar and leaning in close to Rosie.  
  
"See here, Miss Cotton, I need to find Frodo Baggins and the others," he said, "or it's my neck."  
  
Rosie gave him an indifferent look. "Then I wish you and your neck the best of luck." She picked up a mug of beer and went to take it to a table. Tillen slammed a fist onto the bar in frustration, then turned and left. After a moment, the closet door opened and Frodo walked out slowly, followed by the other three. They sighed in relief.  
  
"Thank you very much, Rosie," Pippin said. "You're a life saver."  
  
"Well, you're welcome, but I still don't understand what you were hiding for," Rosie replied. "You should stand up to him. He doesn't look very tough to me."  
  
"Looks can be deceiving," Piper said in an undertone. She turned to Frodo. "We should keep moving. If we stay in one place too long, someone will find us."  
  
Frodo nodded and ran behind the bar for a second. He returned with four knives, giving three of them to Piper, Pippin and Merry, and keeping one for himself.  
  
"What're these for?" Merry asked.  
  
"What do you think?" Frodo returned. "They're for protection."  
  
He hurried out of the Inn and, after exchanging anxious glances, was followed by the other three. Piper noticed that Frodo seemed a bit more courageous than she had thought he was. He had always appeared so shy and kind and gentle . . . but maybe that was still true. Perhaps he was doing all of this out of kindness towards his friends. It was an odd way of showing it, but then, he was a rather odd Hobbit sometimes . . .  
  
[A/N: Here's where I feel they should do what every person does when a potential murderer is after them: BE VULNERABLE!!]  
  
Silently, Frodo slipped up a dark alley in between the Green Dragon and a store. Suddenly, he stopped mid-run. The others skidded to a stop behind him.  
  
"What is it?" Pippin whispered.  
  
"We're not alone," Frodo answered. He removed his knife from his belt. "Don't move."  
  
Piper gulped. She knew it was probably Tillen. It was torture standing in the dark, waiting for him to strike at any moment. It was deadly silent. The tension around them was growing so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. Piper began to back up, getting a bit frantic. In a split second, she felt a sharp blade being held against her throat and a hand holding her wrists together. She let out a shrill cry of surprise, causing Frodo, Pippin and Merry to turn.  
  
A Hobbit that none of them recognized had hold of her. He was about Frodo's height with curly, light brown hair. He was actually rather stout, but very strong. His feral eyes, though dark, gleamed in the night. His pudgy hands grasped Piper's wrists and the dagger tightly as he slowly backed away from the other three Hobbits.  
  
"Who are you?" Frodo asked, taking a step towards the fat Hobbit.  
  
The Hobbit pulled the dagger closer to Piper's throat. "Ah, ah, ah. Careful, now. Don't you come any closer or it's her neck."  
  
Frodo stopped. "Who are you?" he asked again.  
  
"If I told you, then you'd know where to find me," the Hobbit replied. "And for reasons that I cannot reveal to you, it is not something that I want to happen."  
  
With that, the Hobbit turned, with Piper still in his grasp, and hurried into the darkness. Pippin almost ran after him, but Frodo held him back.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Pippin cried. "He's going to kill her!"  
  
"No. . .I don't think he's going to," Frodo said.  
  
"Then why would he kidnap her?" Merry asked.  
  
"I have an idea," Frodo replied, turning to him. "Come on." Frodo turned and ran in the opposite direction, back towards Bag End.  
  
* * *  
  
Piper had no idea where they were going, but did not struggle for fear that the Hobbit would harm her. The Hobbit was quiet, clearly focusing on keeping her in his grasp and trying not to lose his way.  
  
"Are we lost?" Piper asked softly.  
  
"Don't talk," the Hobbit ordered. He stopped a moment, swinging her around to face him. "Don't move." Pulling a piece of rope from his pocket, he bound her hands tightly. "Sit down." She did so, and he bound her ankles with a different piece of rope. He looked up at her. "Do you weigh a lot?"  
  
"No," she replied. "I don't think so."  
  
"Okay." The Hobbit sat a moment, as if contemplating something. Then, with an obviously quick decision, he picked her up and carried her like a groom carries a bride.  
  
"May I speak now?" she asked him. He thought a moment, and then nodded. "Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Orin Proudfoot," he said. "I have strict orders from my brother, Tillen, to bring you to him."  
  
Piper's eyes widened in fear. "Do you . . . know why he wanted me?"  
  
"Didn't say," Orin replied. "Only told me that I had to find you, and that it was very important. I've been looking for you for about three hours."  
  
"You can't take me to him!" Piper cried suddenly. "He's going to kill me! Do you understand? He wants to kill me."  
  
Orin seemed only slightly phased. "He wouldn't hurt you. Tillen may lose his temper sometimes, but he wouldn't hurt anyone."  
  
"You are wrong," Piper said. "He has hurt me before. And he hurt another that I care about. I know why he is looking for me . . . and what he will do when he finds me."  
  
"I am sorry," said Orin. "But I cannot help it. It is not my business what he wants with you, only to do what I've been told to do."  
  
"Please . . ." she pleaded, near tears. "You cannot take me to him." But it was too late. As she said these words, Orin pushed past a gate and entered Tillen's yard. They stopped before the door to his home, and Orin set Piper gently on her feet, one arm around her waist to keep her from falling over.  
  
A muffled voice could be heard on the other side. "Who is it?"  
  
"It's Orin," the stout Hobbit said softly, leaning in close to the door. "I have her."  
  
"Come in," the voice said quickly. Orin hurriedly opened the door, pushing Piper inside before him. Piper found herself staring into darkness. She became frantic, not knowing what was going to happen. Suddenly, she felt someone pull her into another room. A small fire was lit in this room. The curtains were drawn. She recognized it as Tillen's living room. Someone grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the floor.  
  
"So . . . you told him?" Tillen was staring down at her, his eyes filled with malice.  
  
Piper hesitated, staring up into his cold eyes. "How could I not?"  
  
"I told you what would happen, should you tell," Tillen said. "You leave me no choice."  
  
"I do not care if you kill me," Piper started.  
  
Tillen laughed. His laughter was equally as cold as his gaze. "Kill you? I think not. I plan on killing your beloved Frodo Baggins. If I killed you, I would still have him to worry about. He is bolder than you are, Piper. He is not as easy to manipulate. You are not so brave . . . you will not tell another soul, I know."  
  
"How can you be so certain?"  
  
Tillen leaned in close to her. "Because you're mine . . . mine to control. You are too afraid of me to do anything about it."  
  
Piper's eyes narrowed. She couldn't describe the hatred she felt towards Tillen at that moment. Anger rising, she spit in his face. He backed away a few inches, then backhanded her. She cried out, but turned her eyes back to him, not nearly ready to give in.  
  
Orin stood in the doorway, watching this take place. He was seeing a new side to his brother, whom he had looked up to all these past years. It pained him to see the young girl Hobbit in such distress, but what could he do? Tillen was bigger, and stronger, than he was. He left the room, standing next to the doorway. There would be a moment of silence, and then another cry of pain from the girl. Orin closed his eyes against his tears of sorrow and guilt. He should have trusted her word. He should never have brought her to Tillen. 


	6. Alone?

A/N: I know I didn't warn anyone about the introduction of Orin. Please forgive me! He's a lovable character, really he is!  
  
Disclaimer: Recognize it? It's Tolkien's. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Frodo, Merry and Pippin rushed into Bag End. Bilbo walked out of the kitchen, but they rushed past him without a word. Entering Bilbo's study, Frodo began hurriedly searching through the papers that were strewn about the small room.  
  
"Frodo, what's the meaning of this?" Bilbo asked, entering the room. Merry and Pippin were standing by, watching Frodo in his mad search. Bilbo looked to them for an explanation.  
  
"We're as lost as you are," Pippin said. He turned to Frodo. "What are you doing?"  
  
Frodo turned to his uncle. "Bilbo, where are the Shire records?"  
  
"I don't keep any Shire records," Bilbo told him. "Those are kept with the mayor of Michel Delving."  
  
Frodo slammed a fist on the desk in frustration. He cursed himself for not going after Piper, but it was too late now. There was only one thing he could do; he would have to go to Michel Delving and find those papers.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Yes, I realize that there are much simpler ways, but it adds to the plot, dun it? ________________________________________________________________________  
  
He went to the front hallway and slipped on his jacket. Taking his walking stick in hand, he made ready to leave.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Merry asked.  
  
"I'm going to Michel Delving," Frodo explained calmly. "It's the only way to fix all of this."  
  
"Fix all of what?" Bilbo questioned frantically. "I think it is my right to know what is going on!"  
  
"I'll explain it to you later, dear uncle," Frodo said. "Now, I have to go."  
  
"I'm going, too," Pippin announced. "After all, she's my sister!"  
  
Merry rolled his eyes. "I'll go, as well, just to make sure Pippin doesn't stop for a drink along the way."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, at Tillen's home, Piper was sitting silently and miserably where Tillen had left her. She did not know where he had gone, but he was no longer in the house, and that comforted her somewhat. In the back of her mind lingered the thought that he had gone to kill Frodo, as he had said, but there was nothing she could do for him now. Bloody, bruised and defeated, she sat now, staring despairingly into the flames that charred Tillen's fireplace.  
  
"Miss Took?" Piper did not look to Orin, and did not reply. He approached her cautiously, unsure of what she might do. A small smirk appeared at his tentativeness. Setting a plate of food down in front of her quickly, he awaited her reaction.  
  
"You need not be afraid of me, Orin," she said softly, not tearing her gaze from the fire.  
  
"But . . . aren't you angry with me?" Orin asked.  
  
"You did not know what Tillen was going to do," Piper said. "It was not your fault."  
  
"But I could have prevented it, if I had believed you," he returned, seating himself next to her. He seemed less afraid of her now, and a bit more resentful. "I had no idea that Tillen was capable of such things. When he was younger, he was just like you."  
  
"He is nothing like me," Piper shot quickly.  
  
"Perhaps not now, but he was," Orin told her. "He was kind, and innocent, and would never hurt anyone, ever. But I think something happened on his Coming of Age that changed him somehow."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. He just . . . changed, is all. When he sent me to fetch you, I thought you were in real danger, and that he cared about you."  
  
"No . . . he just wanted revenge. I gave away his secret and now he is going to eliminate the one person that I truly care for. And for what?"  
  
"He needs to feel stronger than others; he has always been like that. Even before his party . . . that is probably why he enjoyed being the eldest so much."  
  
Piper turned to Orin. "You do not have to listen to him, you know. You can stand up for yourself."  
  
"I am not strong enough."  
  
"You were strong enough to capture me and bring me here. I did everything you asked me to, and do you know why?" There was no response, so she continued, "Out of fear."  
  
"Fear?!" Orin cried, surprised.  
  
Piper nodded. "Aye, fear. I was afraid for my life. If you can instill fear in someone like me, you can be stronger than someone like Tillen."  
  
Orin looked to her and smiled. She smiled slightly back at him, then looked back to the fire. There was a moment of silence, before, "Piper?"  
  
She looked to him. "Yes?"  
  
He placed a hand beneath her chin and slowly brought her closer, his lips meeting hers in a gentle kiss. After a second, Piper pulled away, staring at him, quite surprised at what he had done. He smiled softly.  
  
"I'll leave you to your thoughts." With that, he stood and walked out of the room, a stunned Piper staring after him.  
  
* * *  
  
Bag End, on the other hand, was quite a hustle and bustle with preparations for the departure of Merry, Pippin and Frodo. Bilbo was in the study, finding a map for them to use. He said the trip would take at most a week, if they went quickly. Frodo, Merry and Pippin were busy packing. Merry and Pippin were borrowing some of Frodo's clothes for the journey. So, while Merry and Frodo packed the clothes, Pippin was doing what he did best: packing food.  
  
Merry entered the kitchen. "Come on, Pip, we're ready to go."  
  
Pippin nodded, throwing a couple more apples into his pack before closing it tightly and swinging it onto his back. The two walked to the front door, where Frodo handed them their knives from the Green Dragon.  
  
"Frodo . . . do we really have to take these?" Pippin asked uneasily. He didn't like having such a dangerous tool in his hands, especially when he knew what it would most likely be used for.  
  
"There are worse things out there than Tillen," Frodo told him. "You need to stay on your guard, and it's just in case we run into any trouble."  
  
Bilbo approached his nephew. "Are you sure about this? You could get into a lot of trouble, if anyone found out why you were traveling to Michel Delving."  
  
"I know, but I have to do it," Frodo replied. "Piper could be in very real danger, and I have to help her. Don't worry, Uncle Bilbo, I'll be back before too long."  
  
Bilbo smiled, placing a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "You're a braver Hobbit than I, Frodo Baggins."  
  
Frodo laughed, before turning to his companions. They each gave a quick nod, and Frodo opened the door. Standing outside was Tillen. All four stopped in their tracks.  
  
"Going somewhere, Baggins?" Tillen asked.  
  
"Where is she?" Frodo said, glaring coldly at the Hobbit.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Tillen replied. Frodo took a step towards him.  
  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he snapped. "So I ask you again, where is Piper?!"  
  
Tillen grinned maliciously. "Oh, her. I don't know . . . if you've lost her, that's your own fault, now, isn't it?"  
  
Frodo couldn't stand it. He leapt at Tillen, knocking him to the ground. Just then, a group of large Hobbits appeared as if out of nowhere, pulling Frodo off of him. They were Guard Hobbits, who ran the jails down by the Brandywine.  
  
"Frodo Baggins, you are under arrest for assault-" one of the Guard Hobbits stated, plucking Frodo's knife out from between his belt and his trousers. "-with a deadly weapon." ________________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Hehe, it sounds like CSI or Law and Order. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Frodo struggled to break free, staring ferociously at Tillen. "I'll kill you, Tillen Proudfoot! I swear, one day, you'll have to face me and I'll KILL YOU!!"  
  
The Guard Hobbits pulled Frodo away, and down the Road towards the Brandywine. Tillen looked over at Merry, Pippin and Bilbo. Pippin almost charged him, but Merry held his cousin back. Tillen laughed evilly.  
  
"What will you do, now that you are left leaderless?" he asked. "They'll no doubt execute him, or banish him at least. And what will you do about it?" Without waiting for a reply, Tillen turned and strode out of the yard and up the Road, back towards the marketplace.  
  
Pippin turned to the others. "He's right . . . what are we going to do?"  
  
"We have two lives on the line," Bilbo said. "Frodo's and Piper's. I say that Pippin, you go through with the plan as we decided. Go to Michel Delving and find out everything you can about this Tillen Proudfoot fellow. Merry, you and I will stay here and try to find a way to get Frodo out of the jails before they sentence him."  
  
"Me? Go to Michel Delving? Alone?!" Pippin cried.  
  
Merry turned to him solemnly. "Pip, you have to. For your sister."  
  
Pippin didn't know what to do. The trip to Michel Delving was long, and he was not sure if he could do it on his own. But he had to try . . .  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Yes, I know this chapter was shorter than most of the others, and for that I'm sorry. But this seemed like a good note to end on. Please review, constructive criticism is welcome and I would greatly appreciate it! 


	7. Piper's Escape

Disclaimer: If I owned even one piece of LotR (even just the name Pippin Took), do you think I'd be sitting here, glued to the Internet? Well, maybe . . . but, no, I'd be rolling around in my wads of cash!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Frodo sat in his cell, alone. There were no other prisoners with him, for there weren't very many criminals living in the Shire to begin with. In fact, the jails were rarely used, except maybe as punishment for a day or two. But never for actually jailing . . . of course, no one had ever assaulted another Hobbit before, as far as Frodo knew.  
  
It was cold in the jails, far colder than he had thought they would be. It seemed like a cold, icy wind was being constantly blown into the small space, and never let out again. Pulling his jacket around him against the cold, Frodo wondered where Piper was. It destroyed him inside to know that she was now in very real danger, and that he could do nothing to help her. What if Tillen killed her? She said that he had threatened to, had she told anyone about what happened. And Tillen most likely knew that Frodo had been told, or else why would he have attacked Frodo when they first went to Bag End?  
  
Thinking about what Tillen might do just made Frodo even more depressed. He did not want Piper to die . . . she did not deserve to die. What had happened was not her fault in any way, and yet she was going to be punished for it? It was the same with his own fate. True, he had attacked Tillen of his own free will, but the reasoning behind it was very motivational, to say the least.  
  
One of the guards approached Frodo's window. "You have a visitor."  
  
"Who is it?" Frodo asked, but the guard was gone. In his place was Merry. Frodo hurried to the window. "Merry! Thank goodness you have come! Where is Pippin?"  
  
"Pippin is preparing to leave," Merry told him. "He is going to travel to Michel Delving and find those records."  
  
"He is going alone?" Frodo questioned.  
  
"Yes," Merry replied. "Bilbo and I are staying here to try and figure out a way to get you out of here, before it's too late."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well . . . you see, Frodo, the consequences for what you have done are two things: death or exile, depending on how severe your crime was. At the very least, you'll be banished, because you didn't physically harm Tillen. But even that is not very good. We have to get you out safely."  
  
"What about Piper?"  
  
"There is nothing we can do until Pippin returns from Michel Delving."  
  
Frodo thought a moment. "Merry, find Rosie Cotton. She works at the Green Dragon, perhaps that Hobbit that stole Piper goes there sometimes. Rosie knows a lot about a good amount of Hobbits in this area. She might have some information on him."  
  
"But without knowing his name, what will I tell her?" Merry asked.  
  
"Just give a description," Frodo instructed. "You remember what he looked like?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"That's good enough for me," Frodo said. "Now, go! Hurry! We don't have very much time."  
  
* * *  
  
At Tillen's house, Piper was now being allowed to roam freely, but only when Tillen was there, and only in certain rooms. She mostly spent her time in the living room. The curtains were always drawn, but she felt most comfortable there. Orin was usually hanging around the house, so Piper figured that Tillen wouldn't try anything.  
  
It was clear that Orin was trying to keep Tillen away from her whenever possible, because whenever she was in one room, if Tillen started to go in there, Orin would find some way to distract him. Though grateful for this, Piper couldn't help but feel that this would only cause more trouble for poor Orin.  
  
He handed her a dish as they stood in the kitchen cleaning. She was keeping her mind on her work, trying not to think about Frodo or Tillen or Pippin or anyone. Orin noticed her silence.  
  
"Piper . . . is something troubling you?" he asked softly.  
  
"No, Orin," she replied quickly. He went to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she fumbled with a knife she had been washing and cut herself. Pulling her hands out of the soapy water, she took a towel and held it firmly against the wound.  
  
"I'm sorry," Orin said contritely, dropping his arm to his side. "I didn't mean to make you hurt yourself."  
  
"No, it's all right," Piper said. "Just a cut. It'll be fine a day or two."  
  
He took her hand. "Let me see." Removing the towel, Orin studied the thin gash that ran from just below her ring finger to the heel of her palm. "You're right, it's not that bad. Still, I'm sorry."  
  
"Oh, don't be," Piper told him brightly. "It wasn't your fault. It could've happened even if you hadn't walked over."  
  
Orin looked up at her longingly. She knew what he was thinking, but her heart belonged to another she knew, and she felt badly for not returning Orin's love. However, he was a very kind, sensitive sort of Hobbit. That was what she liked about him.  
  
"Piper?" he asked softly.  
  
She dreaded what was coming. "Yes?"  
  
"I . . . I think I love you." Her heart sank. It was exactly what she had suspected he would say. Sighing, she went and sat down at the table.  
  
"You do not love me, Orin," she told him gently. "You only think you do."  
  
He sat next to her, facing her, a confused look on his face. "How can I only think I love you?"  
  
"Well . . . how many years before your Coming of Age?"  
  
"Thirteen."  
  
"There, you see? You have your entire life still ahead of you. It is too early to truly love anyone."  
  
Orin smiled. "No, that is not true. With true love, you know. The moment you see the one, you just know that they are your true love. And when I first saw you in that alley, I knew. But I couldn't admit it to myself until I saw what a monster Tillen had become. I had to protect you. And I will . . . forever, no matter what."  
  
Piper shook her head at his naivety. "Orin . . ." Before she could say more, he leaned over and kissed her. Just then, there came a knock on the door. Tillen rushed in. Their heads turned to him, Orin rising to hide what had happened.  
  
"Hurry, hide her!" Tillen ordered, before vanishing down the hall. Orin took Piper to a small room off of the main hallway. They huddled close to the door, listening for who it was. The front door was opened by Tillen.  
  
"Excuse me for disturbing you, sir," came the voice of Meriadoc Brandybuck. "But I wonder if I might come in?"  
  
"Of course," Tillen said politely, motioning the young Hobbit inside. "What may I do for you?"  
  
"Well, you see, many complaints have been made," Merry lied cleverly, "to the mayor of Bywater that the Hobbit Holes are so old, they have become unsafe. The mayor has sent for me to inspect all the Holes in Bywater for safeness."  
  
"And who, if I may ask, are you?" Tillen questioned.  
  
"Why, I am Bowman Gamgee," Merry blurted. He remembered meeting a Gamgee of that name at his friend Samwise's last birthday. He continued, "I do hope you won't mind me taking a quick inspection, sir."  
  
"Actually, I'm quite busy at the moment," Tillen said quickly. "If you could come back another time -"  
  
Merry shook his head. "No, I'm on a tight schedule, I'm afraid."  
  
Tillen sighed. "All right. But quickly, if you please, I have work to do."  
  
"Of course," Merry said, and set to work looking for traces of Piper's presence. He searched almost every room and found nothing. Finally, he came to the door off of the main hallway. It was locked. Looking around for Tillen, he bent close to the door and whispered, "Piper?"  
  
"Merry!" came the muffled reply. "Oh, Merry, you've come! Thank goodness! Where are Pippin and Frodo?"  
  
"No time to explain that now," Merry hissed. "I have to get you out of here. Could you let me in?"  
  
"Yes, one second," Piper replied.  
  
"Mr. Gamgee, any trouble?" Tillen called from the living room.  
  
"No, sir, very safe Hole!" Merry stuttered quickly. "I'll let myself out! Thank you, sir!"  
  
The door to the small room opened and Merry scooted in. He was met instantly by Piper, who threw her arms about his neck happily. He returned her embrace, then pulled back. "We've got to get you out of here," he said. "It shouldn't be too hard. He thinks I'm gone."  
  
"He may yet know," Piper said. "Even when you think he's not looking, Tillen somehow knows what is going on."  
  
Merry nodded, and noticed the cut on her hand. "Piper, what happened? Did Tillen do this to you?!"  
  
"No, Merry, of course not," Piper said, smiling. "It was an accident. I slipped while washing one of the knives-"  
  
"It was my fault." Merry turned his attention to Orin, who had been sitting a few feet away. Merry hadn't even really noticed him. Remembering the fat Hobbit from the alley, he instinctively stepped in front of Piper to protect her.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Orin, Tillen's younger brother," Orin told him. "And I'm not going to hurt her. Or you. I could never hurt her."  
  
"Or me?" Merry questioned.  
  
"I don't know, maybe if you hurt her, I would," Orin said, shrugging.  
  
"You're very protective of her for the brother of the enemy," Merry noticed. "Are you sure that you and Tillen are related?"  
  
"The reason he is protective of me, Merry, is because-" Piper started, lowering the arm that he was holding in front of her.  
  
"I love her," Orin finished. Merry stopped. He didn't know what to say. He didn't move until he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Orin grabbed Piper's wrist. He opened the door of a closet. "Here, you and your friend hide in here. I'll handle Tillen."  
  
Merry nodded and went to the closet, pushing Piper in hurriedly. Orin shut the door. Piper stood close to her cousin, her eyes closed. He had his arms around her protectively, leaning against the wall, the door opened just a tiny bit so that he could hear what was going on. Tillen entered in a rush.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked, breathing heavily.  
  
"She escaped," Orin said.  
  
Tillen's eyes grew wide. "What?! You let her escape?!"  
  
Orin stood tall and defiant. "What you were doing was wrong! I know what was going on. She told me."  
  
"It was none of your business," Tillen snarled. "All I asked you to do was get her and make sure she didn't leave! Well . . . I'll just have to go and find her again. She couldn't have gotten far."  
  
"I can't let you!" Orin said, running to block the door.  
  
"Orin, move, you're being stupid," Tillen said, looking bored by his brother's courage. "Now, get out of the way."  
  
"No!" Orin shouted. "I won't let you hurt her again!"  
  
Tillen smirked. "Look, I know you have a little crush on her, but it's none of your concern. Now, move!"  
  
"No!" Tillen's eyes blazed in fury. He realized that his younger brother was being serious. In a quick motion, he backhanded Orin. The Hobbit swallowed a cry of pain and stared back up at Tillen. The older Hobbit was amazed. Orin had always been much weaker than he. However, he hid this amazement and struck Orin again. Nothing. . .  
  
From inside the closet, Merry could just make out this scene. He looked down at his cousin, who was pressed up against his chest, trembling in fear.  
  
"It's okay," he whispered to her. "Don't be afraid. We'll be fine." She said nothing, just stood a minute, settling herself. He smiled. "There you go." Piper turned and went to the door, opening it a bit more so she could see. Orin was still standing at the door, Tillen facing him angrily.  
  
"Orin, I'll ask you one more time," Tillen said, sort of patiently. "Get out of my way."  
  
Orin shook his head. "I can't let you hurt her." Tillen cuffed him over the head. This time, Orin cried out, slowly getting weaker. Piper almost rushed out of the closet to help him, but Merry held her back.  
  
Orin had done it. He had pushed Tillen to the edge. Tillen drew a small dagger from his pocket and grabbed hold of Orin's collar, raising the dagger in the air.  
  
"Now move!" Tillen ordered. Orin hesitated, then shook his head. "Orin, move or I'm going to kill you."  
  
"You would kill me just so you can find Piper again?" Orin questioned. "You either really love her or you just really don't want your reputation in this town to be ruined." This only brought on a sickening kick into Orin's left shin. This was too much. Piper rushed out of the closet, Merry scrambling to stop her, but making sure not to step out of the closet, and she ran in front of Orin, standing before him protectively, as Merry had done.  
  
"You are still here," Tillen said softly.  
  
"I am, and Orin was just trying to protect me!" Piper said defiantly. "But I will not let you kill him, or Frodo! And I won't let you hurt anyone else ever again!"  
  
Tillen chuckled. "Oh, this is sweet. My brother has fallen in love with my captive. And it seems that she feels the same. Funny, Piper, I always thought you would end up with that Baggins fellow."  
  
Piper hesitated. How could she admit that she did not love Orin? "That is beside the point, Tillen. It is over. You might as well give it up now and let me go free, without another word to anyone . . . from either of us."  
  
Tillen looked almost intrigued by the proposition, but that soon changed. In a blink of an eye, Tillen grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, holding the dagger to her throat. It was so close that just a small more amount of pressure and it would pierce her skin.  
  
The color drained from Orin's face in fear. "Let her go," he sputtered, not tearing his eyes away from Piper.  
  
"Get out of my way!" Tillen shouted.  
  
"Let her go."  
  
"Orin, get out of my way or I'll kill her!"  
  
Orin stared up at his brother, defiance blazing in his eyes furiously. "Let her go!" Tillen stared back coldly, and slowly began drawing the dagger along her neck, creating a thin cut. She tensed as a wave of pain swept over her. Orin ran forward and tackled his brother to the floor, leaving a large cut on the side of Piper's neck from the force. Her hand shot up to the wound, and she fell to her knees, eyes closed in concentration.  
  
Merry hurried to her side, taking her arm. "Come on, now's our chance to get out of here!"  
  
She looked to Orin, who was desperately trying to wrestle the dagger away from Tillen. "What about him?"  
  
"He'll be fine, let's go!" Merry urged. She stood and they hurried to the front door and out of the house. Smiling with the realization that she was finally free, Piper hurried across the yard and jumped the fence. As they started down the Road, she suddenly felt lightheaded and stopped. Merry went back to her.  
  
"Piper? Are you all right?" he asked.  
  
"Y-Yes, I'm fine," she said. "I'm sure it's nothing." With a nod, Merry set off down the Road again, Piper following. They had only made it about a mile or two away from Tillen's house before she felt weak again and dropped to her knees. Merry went back to her, now very concerned.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right?" he questioned.  
  
"I don't know. . ." she replied. "I don't think so. . ." Before she could say anything else, she collapsed, unconscious.  
  
"Piper? Piper!" Merry said frantically. He didn't know what to do, but after a moment he realized that if he waited around for help, Tillen would find him. So, he took Piper up in his arms and hurried towards Bag End. 


	8. Traitor!

Disclaimer: I don't own nor claim to own LotR. Say it with me: TOLKIEN.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~  
  
Piper's eyes flickered open. She was lying on a bed in a room full of books. Perhaps it had all been a bad dream? Sitting up, she scanned the room and, realizing it was not her own, was pained to also realize that everything had really happened. Her hand went to her neck, where she ran her finger along a thin line going across her throat. With a sigh, she lowered her hand and wondered what had happened to Orin. It pained her to think that some harm could have befallen him after she left with Merry.  
  
The door opened slowly, and a head of light brown curls poked in. Pippin, upon seeing his sister, rushed to her in joy and threw his arms around her neck. She laughed, returning the embrace. After a moment, he pulled back, sitting down on the bed before her, a bright grin on his face.  
  
"I'm so glad you're awake," he said. "I have so much to tell you."  
  
"First, Pippin, why did you not come with Merry to Tillen's?" Piper questioned.  
  
"I was going to Michel Delving," Pippin explained.  
  
"Alone?" Piper cried. "Why, that's a week's journey, at most! How did you get there and back so quickly? And why were you going in the first place?"  
  
Pippin laughed. "So many questions, dear sister! Well, first of all, Merry, Frodo and I were going to go to Michel Delving to find out all we could about Tillen. If we found something that could possibly convict him, we were going to use it. If not, at least we could find out where he lived and talk him into telling us where you were. But, then, Tillen appeared here, at Bag End, and Frodo attacked him. The Guards arrested him for assaulting Tillen, and since Frodo had a knife on him, the charges were that much worse. He's in the jails now."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I was sent to Michel Delving alone, while Merry and Bilbo stayed here to try and free Frodo and you. Merry went to see Frodo, who sent him to speak with Rosie Cotton about your kidnapper. Luckily, Rosie knew his name from the description, and when Merry heard the last name Proudfoot, he asked where this Hobbit lived. Rosie gave him the directions, and he found himself talking with Tillen. After he got you here, I arrived. You've been asleep for a good three or four days, Piper. Now we have to find out a way to rescue Frodo, before he is sentenced to exile. . .or worse.  
  
"However, I needed not go all the way to Michel Delving, for I found the information I sought before I even got there. I was in a tavern in Waymeet, and I overheard a group of young fellows about Tillen's age talking about Tillen's Coming of Age party. Apparently, he had been quite forward with one of the lasses and she had gotten very upset. He then followed her home and she was never quite the same after that night. According to what I heard, this happened with several other girls, as well. I don't think you're the only one he's attacked, Piper."  
  
Piper was silent a moment. "Pippin. . .I'm in danger. Tillen is going to try to find me, and he knows I'll be here. I don't know what to do. We can't use this information against him, not without evidence. Not to mention that no one will care anyway, since neither of us have Come of Age."  
  
"Would they believe Bilbo?" Pippin asked.  
  
"Maybe. . ." Piper said. "But, we still need proof. And we need to help Frodo."  
  
* * *  
  
That night, Pippin led Piper down to the jails, where he caused a distraction by stealing one of the guard's set of keys and running off down the Road, causing all of the guards to run after him. While this was going on, Piper slipped in unnoticed and found her way to where Frodo was being held.  
  
"Frodo!" she whispered into the dark cell. "Frodo! It's me, Piper!"  
  
His pale, thin face appeared out of the shadows as he hurried to the bars of the cell. "Piper! How. . .how did you escape?"  
  
"That's not important," Piper said. "We have to get you out of here. Something terrible could happen to you."  
  
Frodo smiled wearily, taking both of her hands in his. "Don't worry about me, Piper. I'll be fine. Trust me."  
  
"I want to," she replied softly. "But. . .I'm in danger, Frodo. Tillen will be after me, and without you, I feel like I'm never safe. You told me before that as long as you were with me, no one could hurt me. And I have been hurt. . .I have."  
  
"You don't need me," Frodo said. "I know you can find the courage to do this on your own."  
  
* * *  
  
Piper walked idly down the deserted Road, going over in her mind what Frodo had said, and what had happened so far. She knew it wasn't safe to be out at night by herself, but at the moment it was the least of her worries. Pippin was still off distracting the Guards, and it had completely slipped her mind to go and find him.  
  
She shuffled along, deep in thought, not really paying attention to what was around her. The moonlight filled the cold air around her, lighting the path before her feet. As she walked, another shadow joined hers. . .and then another. . .and a third. A last shadow appeared and Piper finally took notice. She paused, the other shadows stopping with hers. After a moment of hesitation, she began to walk again, the shadows following. She sped up. . .so did they. Finally, she spun around, facing a group of four young male Hobbits, about Tillen's age.  
  
"C-Can I help you?" she stammered, trying not to get frightened.  
  
"Yes, I believe you can," one of the Hobbits replied, all of them taking a step closer to her. She said nothing, gasping when she felt a pair of hands grasping her arms to her sides. One of the four had gone behind her. The group surrounded her, the one who had spoken bringing a cloth to her mouth. Before he could do anything more, she stomped on the foot of the Hobbit holding her, then pushed the one before her roughly out of the way, darting off down the street.  
  
The four Hobbits tore after her. She knew that the nearest town was Bywater, but who would help her there? Then it dawned on her. . .Tillen lived in Bywater. . .Orin lived with Tillen. . . A weight seemed to be lifted off of her, and she ran faster than she had ever run in her entire life. The town of Bywater came into view, and soon so did the large pool in that town, called Bywater Pool. She remembered that Tillen lived somewhere nearby there.  
  
As she ran past the pool, something suddenly ran into her, pulling her into the pool. She was silent and still a moment as the group of Hobbits ran past, then a hand gripped her wrist. In a sudden realization that someone was with her, she began struggling to get away.  
  
"Piper! Piper!" the Hobbit cried, fighting until he had a hold of both her wrists, forcing her to face him. She stopped, searching the face for a moment, letting it focus in her mind, before smiling and throwing a grateful hug around him. It was Orin.  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad that you aren't hurt!" she said, hugging him tighter.  
  
He cringed, pulling her off gently. "Ah, well, I wouldn't say that. But I'm not badly hurt, and gladly neither are you. Pray, what were you running from?"  
  
"A group of Hobbits approached me on my way to Bag End," Piper explained, not confiding in him her real fear that they had some connection to Tillen. "But, it isn't of importance. Tell me, what happened after I left Tillen's home? How did you escape?"  
  
"Well, after you left, it was a good few minutes before either of us realized," Orin began. "Once we did, we both made a rush for the door, and I managed to get out first. Tillen tried to prevent me from leaving the house, and in the process my arm got slammed in the front door, but I pushed the door open and hurried out. By the time my eyes adjusted to the dark, Tillen was gone. I went to look for him, and have been searching for him for a few days now. My initial fear was that he went to Bag End for you, but when I went, I saw no sort of disturbance, so I took my search elsewhere. It led me all the way to Stock before I gave up, and I have just returned when I saw you running through the town. Forgive me for startling you, I merely let my excitement get the best of me. Where were you coming from?"  
  
"The jails by the River Brandywine," said Piper. "Frodo is being held there for attacking Tillen. I know not when he will be sentenced, but I hope to find a way to save him from whatever cruel fate awaits him."  
  
"How do you plan to do that?"  
  
"Perhaps if I could prove what Tillen did to me, then Frodo would have had a good reason to have attacked Tillen, and maybe he will be released."  
  
Orin was silent a moment. "You. . .you care about him?"  
  
"Well, he is my best friend, Orin, of course I care about him," Piper replied, a bit awkwardly.  
  
"No. . .no, I mean, you. . .LOVE him, don't you?" Orin looked up at her, awaiting her answer.  
  
She knew not what to say. It was difficult to tell him the truth, especially when she did not exactly know the asnwer herself. "I. . .don't know, Orin," she said finally.  
  
He nodded. "I know you do. I can tell." He sighed. "Well, Piper, I also know that I love you, and because I do, I shall help you to rescue Frodo. Because it's important to you."  
  
Piper smiled. "Thank you, Orin."  
  
With that, he pulled her up and they started off towards Bag End, passing through Hobbiton, and onto Bilbo's lawn. The front door swung open, Pippin and Merry hurrying out.  
  
"Piper! There you are, I was getting worried!" Pippin cried. "Where did you go?"  
  
"Just. . .for a walk," Piper said. She turned to Orin. "Thank you for your help."  
  
"Anytime," Orin replied, shrugging. "I'll come by again tomorrow."  
  
Piper smiled, giving him a farewell hug, when a shout rang out over the yard. "TRAITOR!!" 


	9. Death in the Shire

A/N: I know some of you guys are bad about reviewing, because I do it, too. But it would really mean a lot to me if you would just try and put in a few words about what you think when you finish reading. Please and thank you!  
  
Disclaimer: Do I look like an English professor from Oxford? Didn't think so.  
  
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All four of the Hobbits turned to see Tillen standing just outside the gate, staring furiously up at them. He jumped the fence and began approaching Orin slowly.  
  
"You treacherous fool!" he snarled. "I put my faith and trust in you, even when I find out about your little crush, only to find you here, conspiring with those that I have clearly told you are not to be trusted! Traitor!!" Tillen snapped his fingers, and the four Hobbits that had chased Piper appeared, each one taking hold of one of them.  
  
The one that held Piper brought her forward, until she was about a foot away from Tillen. He grinned evilly. "Well, I'll show you what happens when you betray me, Orin." He turned his attention to Piper. "Good-bye, my dear."  
  
Orin watched in horror as Tillen produced a knife out of his pocket, and, raising it up in the air, prepared to kill Orin's love. He struggled with all his might, finally wrenching himself free just as the knife went plunging down. He ran and tackled Piper out of the way, and out of her captor's hands.  
  
"Are you all right, love?" Orin asked, sitting up and caressing her face. Piper's eyes went wide.  
  
"Look out!" she cried, but it was too late. Tillen had grabbed one of Orin's shoulders and drove the knife deep into his back. Orin tensed in pain, his eyes widening. Tillen stood, backing away, a look of satisfaction upon his evil face. Orin collapsed, Piper catching him before he hit the ground, her eyes filling with tears.  
  
"Orin?" she said softly, her voice quavering.  
  
His eyes flickered open slightly, and he smiled, placing a hand on her cheek. "Go rescue Frodo, Piper. He needs you. . .just as I needed you. Thank you. . .for being my friend. I love you, Piperiona Took. Don't forget that. Promise me."  
  
"I won't, Orin, I promise," she stammered, removing his hand from her face and interlacing her fingers with his.  
  
He smiled brighter, then closed his eyes. His chest stopped moving. His hand became heavy and slowly colder. Piper stared down at him, hardly able to believe it, tears running down her face. She stood and looked at Tillen angrily, a sudden rage consuming her.  
  
"You bastard!!" she screamed, rushing at him. One of the four Hobbits who had chased her held her back. She continued to scream at him. "I'll kill you!! You better pray to Elbereth that this Hobbit doesn't release me, or I swear you'll be dead before you hit the ground!"  
  
Tillen looked around at the other Hobbits on the lawn. They were all staring at him with mixed anger and disbelief. Finally realizing that he was in over his head, Tillen turned on his heel and ran down the lawn, jumped over the fence, and rushed towards his home. The Hobbit released Piper and she fell to her knees, sobbing.  
  
Pippin, who had also been let go, went to her and knelt beside her. She turned and he embraced her consolingly. "It's all right," he whispered. "We'll get him, Piper, don't worry."  
  
Piper nodded, trying to calm herself down, before turning and glaring at the four Hobbits who had helped Tillen. "Why don't you just go find your 'master'?" she snapped. "I'm sure you're all very proud of him for what he did!"  
  
The Hobbit who had held her shook his head. "We never expected him to do such a thing. I mean, Orin was his brother and had never done anything wrong in his life. He was a good soul." He went to her and knelt on the other side of her. "My name is Fynn Bolger, and those are my brothers, Fulbright, Frye, and Forbes."  
  
"Wait a second, I remember you!" Pippin said suddenly. "You were the group of Hobbits I listened to at the tavern in Waymeet! You know what Tillen has done!" He laughed happily. "This could not be any better!"  
  
"What are you talking about, Pip?" Merry asked.  
  
"We now have proof against Tillen!" Pippin cried, jumping to his feet. "These four know what he has done before to other lasses, and we have all witnessed him commit murder, AND, using all of that evidence, Piper's story will surely be believed! Where's Bilbo? We must go to the Thain at once!"  
  
* * *  
  
The seven young Hobbits and Bilbo hurried up the staircase to the Thain's floor. They were now in the Great Smials of Tuckborough, having traveled most of the previous night and that day to get there. Bilbo led the way, with Piper just behind him. She was still full of vengeful rage towards Tillen and no longer fear. Now, not only was a filthy, disgusting Hobbit, but he was a murderer as well.  
  
Bilbo rapped hurriedly on the Thain's office door. They waited a moment, and then the door opened. The Thain, named Ferumbras, looked over the large group a second, a bit startled, before spotting Bilbo at the head of the group.  
  
"Bilbo Baggins! What brings you here?" he asked jovially.  
  
"Nothing very good, I'm afraid," Bilbo replied, shaking his head. Seeing the grave looks on everyone's faces, Ferumbras motioned for them to come inside. They entered, Piper a little tentative. She had never been very keen on telling the Thain about what happened, and though she was trying to be brave, she felt it was far harder than she had ever imagined.  
  
"Sit, sit," Ferumbras said, waving a hand towards two seats in front of a large desk, which he now went and sat behind. Bilbo sat in one of the chairs, Piper in the other. The rest of the group stood behind them, except for Pippin, who knelt next to Piper's chair. Ferumbras was silent a moment, then spoke, "What business have you? Good news or no, it must be dealt with. So, let's have it."  
  
Bilbo glanced sidelong at Piper. "You see, sir, there is this Hobbit, a Proudfoot, who recently had his Coming of Age - "  
  
"Dear Bilbo," Ferumbras interrupted, chuckling to himself. "Hobbits. . .Proudfoots. . . are Coming of Age every day. You surely do not expect me to remember them all?"  
  
"No, no, of course not," Bilbo continued. "This one's name is Tillen Proudfoot. He moved into a Hobbit Hole in Bywater, where this young girl - " He nodded to Piper. "-Has been working for the past three weeks."  
  
"There is no law against that."  
  
"What about when something goes wrong?"  
  
"What went wrong?"  
  
Bilbo hesitated, thinking. "Now that you mention it, I never really was told what happened." He turned to Piper. "I'm afraid you must tell him, my dear."  
  
Piper's hands trembled slightly, but she sighed and, with her eyes downwards, began to tell her story, from the beginning. She started with the day she met Frodo, and moved into her first day at Tillen's home. "- and tonight, Tillen came to Bag End with a bunch of helpers, and he. . .he. . .killed his brother."  
  
Ferumbras had stood and was looking out of a window to the gardens below. His eyes were filled with sorrow and frustration from her tale. How could it be true? Was there really such an awful Hobbit as Tillen Proudfoot running loose in the Shire? And why was an innocent Hobbit like Frodo Baggins placed in jail, awaiting a sentence of exile or death? He sighed, turning back to face them.  
  
"This Tillen Proudfoot shall be arrested and taken to trial immediately," he said. "I will go and discuss the matter with Mayor Whitfoot immediately. Piper, you must recall your story one last time, I'm afraid, for the court. As soon as Tillen's sentence is decided, I will make sure that Frodo is released."  
  
Piper smiled. "Thank you, sir."  
  
"Also, you shall need a lawyer, someone to represent you in court," Ferumbras told her.  
  
Pippin jumped up. "I'll do it!" All eyes turned to him.  
  
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A/N: Just one quick thing, to those who read this, I'd like to advertise my other story "Fighting for Love". It's another romance, mainly from Pippin's POV. Please go r&r! Thank you! 


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